The present invention is generally directed to a sunroof apparatus includes a outer panel and a sunshade panel which are electrically moves.
One of the conventional sunroof apparatus of the type is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,250,882. This conventional sunroof apparatus includes an outer panel, a sunshade panel, first driving mechanism and a second driving mechanism. The outer panel is opening and closing an open portion formed in a vehicular roof panel. The sunshade panel is provided at an interior side of the vehicle relative to the outer panel and shading and exposing the interior side through the outer panel. The first driving mechanism is associated with the outer panel to slide. The second driving mechanism is associated with the sunshade panel to slide.
In this conventional sunroof apparatus, the outer panel slides by the first driving mechanism and the sunshade panel slides by the second driving mechanism, respectively.
However, in the conventional sunroof apparatus having two independent driving mechanisms. The first and. second driving mechanisms are required to slide the outer panel and the sunshade panel, respectively. Thus, due to the plural or increased number of the driving mechanisms, the number of parts is increased, which results in that the production cost of the sunroof apparatus becomes higher and a control circuit for controlling both of the first and second driving mechanisms becomes much complicated.
A need exists to provide a sunroof apparatus in which outer and sunshade panels can be slid by a sole driving mechanism, for overcoming the aforementioned drawbacks.
The present invention has been developed to satisfy the request noted above and the present invention provides a sunroof apparatus which includes an outer panel opening and closing an open portion formed in a vehicular roof panel, a sunshade panel provided at an interior side of the vehicle relative to the outer panel and shading and exposing the interior side through the outer panel, a driving mechanism associated with the outer panel and the sunshade panel, a first clutch mechanism establishing engaged and disengaged states between the driving mechanism and the outer panel and a second clutch mechanism establishing engaged and disengaged states between the driving mechanism and the sunshade panel. The first clutch mechanism engages between the driving mechanism and the outer panel when the driving mechanism drives in one direction while the open portion is closed by the movable pane. The second clutch mechanism engages between the driving mechanism and the sunshade panel when the driving mechanism drives in other direction while the open portion is closed by the outer panel.
In accordance with the aspect of the present invention, When the driving mechanism drives in one direction, the outer panel slides by the first clutch mechanism. When the driving mechanism drives in the other direction, the sunshade panel slides by the second clutch mechanism. Therefore, only the driving mechanism is capable of causing the outer panel and the sunshade panel to slide.